Verdant Cloister
Flush with November rain, Elowah Falls thunders into its basin, casting a thick veil of spray in all directions, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon. The spray supports a vibrant, boulder-dwelling community of mosses and ferns. This also means that one has to be quick with the camera, or better prepared, as the lens becomes coated with droplets in record time.
I haven't done much research into the phenomenon, but I am interested to know why the bright yellow lichen seems to thrive on the over-hanging basalt near the waterfall. I'm sure it's something to do with the right combination of light, moisture, and nutrients, but exactly why that occurs on the overhanging rock is not clear to me. Thoughts, anyone?
Verdant Cloister
Flush with November rain, Elowah Falls thunders into its basin, casting a thick veil of spray in all directions, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon. The spray supports a vibrant, boulder-dwelling community of mosses and ferns. This also means that one has to be quick with the camera, or better prepared, as the lens becomes coated with droplets in record time.
I haven't done much research into the phenomenon, but I am interested to know why the bright yellow lichen seems to thrive on the over-hanging basalt near the waterfall. I'm sure it's something to do with the right combination of light, moisture, and nutrients, but exactly why that occurs on the overhanging rock is not clear to me. Thoughts, anyone?